UNAA’s review of constitution with weeks to elections described ‘suspicious’  

The review is happening with less than two months to September’s 33^rd Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.

Kampala – 17, July 2021: Today Saturday 17, July 2021, Uganda North America Association (UNAA) members are sitting to review the constitution.

The review is happening with less than two months to September’s 33^rd Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.

One of the senior members, James William Mugeni has described the review “suspicious” and meant to “legalize some illegalities and regularize some irregularities”.

 Another member, who is attending the meeting, says, “you don’t review a constitution on the eve of an election, that act is suspicious.”

TND News has got a communication delivered to all UNAA members, and it reads:

“The UNAA-Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) cordially invites you to the second town hall meeting to further deliberate on the first draft report of recommendations toward the amendment of the 2010 UNAA Constitution.”

“The Zoom meeting will take place on Saturday July 17, 2021 starting at 2:00PM (CST).”

“Since this will be the last CRC town hall meeting with UNAA members during the constitutional review process before the final report of amendments is presented to the AGM in Cincinnati, you are all encouraged to attend to make your voice heard.”

Highlights of recommended changes to the UNAA 2010 Constitution

1. Preamble unchanged but separated from Objectives. Objectives moved to a dedicated article 1.
2. 2010 Article 1 (Organizational Matters) and Article 2 (Purpose) combined to form Article 2: Organizational Matters
3. Article 3.5: Member in good standing: Remove certification by the President
4. NEW– Article 4: UNAA Chapters and Affiliates
5. NEW– Article 5 Board of Trustees: Members of the BoT to be elected in the UNAA Council following a process defined in Article 9.4
6. Article 5: Clarified removal process from the BoT
7. Article 5: Changed Quorum rules
8. NEW– Article 5: Require the BoT to develop, oversee and uphold the Mission and Vision of the association.
9. NEW– Article 6 Executive: Added Secretary for Youth and Children
10. Article 6: Expanded roles of Directors: Communications and Technology; Development and Quality Assurance; Finance and Fundraising
11. NEW– Article 6: Defined Ambassadors and their eligibility and appointment
12. Article 6: Clarified removal process from the Executive
13. NEW– Article 6: Added a Transition period after the elections
14. NEW– Article 7 UNAA Council: Added election of Council leadership
15. NEW– Article 7: Added proportional representation based on membership
16. Article 7: Removed action by UNAA Council without meeting
17. Article 7: Clarified removal process from the Council
18. Article 7: Expanded the role of Youth representatives to include children
19. NEW– Article 8 Membership meetings: Provided for when the BoT fails to convene the AGM
20. NEW– Article 8: Provided for electronic (e.g. online, virtual, remote) meetings for membership meetings
21. Article 9 Committees: Defined and clarified types of committees (Ad hoc, Standing)
22. NEW– Article 9: Recommended 3 new standing committees; BoT Search, Convention Organizing, Convention Host City selection.
23. NEW– Article 9.4: Introduced the BoT search committee
24. NEW– Article 9.4: Described the election in the UNAA Council, of BoT members from the US & Canada
25. NEW– Article 9.4: Notification and filling of vacancies on the BoT
26. Article 10 Electoral Commission: Clarified and expanded the independence of the Electoral Commission
27. NEW– Article 10: Introduced and defined election certification
28. NEW– Article 10: Clarified arbitration of electoral disputes
29. NEW– Article 11 Rules and Disciplinary Committee (RDC): Dedicated article for the RDC
30. NEW– Article 12: Recommended and defined a Constitutional Affairs Committee (CAC)
31. Separated Bylaws from the constitution

“Developed stand alone documents in the Bylaws describing among others, the membership code of conduct, leadership code of conduct and ethics, the community development fund program, the community emergency fund, the election guidelines, and other.”